H.R. 10071: 8(a) Small Business Integrity and Stability Act of 2026

This bill would change how the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program works for certain companies that were already in the program or recently left it.

What the 8(a) Program is

The 8(a) Program is a federal program that helps certain small businesses, especially those owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people, compete for government contracts and receive business assistance.

Main changes in the bill

• Extends participation for some current participants by one year. Small businesses that were in the 8(a) Program sometime between January 20, 2025, and September 30, 2026 could have their participation extended by one additional year, unless they choose not to take the extension.
• Allows some removed or withdrawn businesses to return. Certain “covered concerns” could be reinstated in the program as if they had not been terminated or had not voluntarily left.
• Lets reinstated businesses extend again for one year. A business that is reinstated under the bill could then choose to stay in the program for an extra year.
• Defines which businesses qualify for reinstatement. The bill covers:
  • Businesses removed because they did not respond to a request for information from the Office of Management and Budget tied to Control Number 3245-0430, which ended on November 18, 2025.
  • Businesses that voluntarily left the 8(a) Program between January 19, 2026, and October 1, 2026.
• Excludes some businesses from reinstatement. A business would not qualify if its termination was upheld by the SBA’s Office of Hearings and Appeals.
• Preserves prior “social disadvantage” determinations for some firms. For businesses that had already been found socially disadvantaged by June 11, 2026, the SBA would have to keep using the rules that were in effect on that date when deciding whether they can continue in the 8(a) Program.

Implementation and deadlines

• The SBA Administrator would have to issue implementing rules within 15 days of enactment.
• If those final rules are not issued by 75 days after enactment, the Administrator would be barred from spending funds on official travel until the rules are submitted.

Relevant Companies

None found